Blackley's New Groove

I dont get the hype behind his video game company. Cuz i forget the name of his last published games from years ago, but it was regarded as a piece of crap. I mean literally. It was horrible. He tried to blow it off as innovative, but it was an excuse because he could not make a good game. Im not too interested in what he can do.

"Blackley decided to start this company due to lack of creative games coming out."

Err, right.

We'll see about that when his company's investors start feeling the return on "creative games."

After launching Xbox I can see why he thinks there are no good games out there....

Xbox lineup blows (except Halo, which isn't that impressive imo)

I don't see why this company couldn't succeed. In the movie industry, there's a big difference between a blockbuster (Spider-Man, Star Wars) and a lackluster (Glitter, Crossroads). There's the same difference in the vid game business when you look at the popularity gap between a Quake3 and a Trespasser. It's obvious that the more popular games require expensive engines, big levels, and 20 hours of gameplay. Sometimes dev houses making quality titles require some funding before profits can pay them back.

I don't understand why people trash Xbox games so much. Almost all the games I've played have been really great. They're not all legendary, but I think they're better than the average throwaway playstation game.

<wild speculation> Just wait a year, tops. Everyone who's playing on their PS2 will merge over to the Xbox because it'll be the only thing out to even compete with the PC. </wild speculation>

Everyone wish him gobs of luck, we should be so lucky for him to succeed. His business model could provide for the occasional under-funded development house to get their untraditional but fun and creative game out there.

If we're stuck with EA and Activision for many more years, we'll be eating shit unless they get a bit more daring.

Microsoft lacking the ability to generate new and innovative software applications, without buying out other companies wholesale? *cough* Halo Bungie buyout *cough* Pshhaw! :)

Gratuitous bashing aside, I'm glad Blackley is striking out to help incubate more innovating games. It kinda sucks to see a gem like Halo come along once in a blue moon......... the last truly compelling / groundbreaking game that I played before Halo was Quake I. Perhaps Neverwinter Nights will be the next on the list, but only time will tell.

Didn't Gathering of Developers already try this? I seem to remember them getting bought out too, due to lack of fundage after a couple titles flopped/vaporware'd.

Heh, I wonder how Bill feels about this guy walking around saying that XBox games are less than innovative piles of crap.

Carmack's wife had similar aspirations I believe. Her company released a demo a while back. What ever happened to that project?

Its a sure sign that a new game developer will make crappy games when they come out and say that all the current games suck because they don't have "break through game concepts".

No LNC? Oh well here's some stuff on Konami at E3 (in Japanese)

http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/game/docs/20020509/konami.htm

Beatmania 6th style for GBA
Zone of the Enders 2 for PS2
Metal Gear Solid Substance for the XBox, PS2 and PC.

*cough* Daikatana *cough*

Hope they do better than the dot-com VC's or Edios.

It is announced that Mr. Blackley has found a new frontier to explore; the management of multiple game developers. From what I have read its not that new of a thing, except for Blackley's deep connection to the xbox and (I assume good?) relations with Microsoft. I didnt read anything about Microsoft giving Blackley's new company money, so they probably arent counting on him to boost the number of quality games for the xbox, though Blackleys Microsoft ties makes it possible. As Blackley tries to clean up the development business with only a handful of developers, it seems that his project isn't going to abundantly benifit Microsoft. Blackley has stated his passion for making games, so it seems like a natural move for him -- his catastrophe with Trespasser would make it hard to get funding for an independent development house, and keeping his plans in parallel with Microsoft gives him an opportunity to ease closer to the position he wants.

is this the business model that makes games fun again?

Blackley's first game: Tomb Raider 6

Bring on that sweet, sweet venture capital.

yes

+ its funn ;)

From my point of view, on a professional level, I'd like to get a hold of Seamus..

Any contact details guys?

I thought the fucker wanted to make creative content?

So essentailly he's saying "Hey, we fucked up the whole xbox thing and it's not as fun as we thought it would be."

Thats reassuring.

This could be a pretty good idea I guess...

but how is it not just adding another company that wants a share of the profit?

unless the "production company" is just taking some of the proft the "publishing company" normally gets..

Do the dev companies end up with a smaller share of the profit?

a deal two deliver two games to Sega *giggles*

I'd like to see this work.

i hope this will actually breed some cool games

damn u cygnus x-1
foiled !

oh my !
this is sad

Thats right.